Pre-race

The weather forecast did not look promising 😰  It was projected to be in the single digits at the start of the race, and reach the low teens by the end of the race… with 20-30 mph wind gusts… o boy.  I made an urgent stop at REI to get some warmer running gloves 🧤, and look for ear mitts 🙉  The pickings were slim this time of year in Texas.  Our weekend forecast looked starkly different.

I landed 🛬 and was pleasantly surprised by the sunshine ☀️ It actually did not feel too bad when I first walked outside.  I walked to the start line to see how long it would take me.  The hotel receptionist shamed me into walking to the start instead of taking an Über/taxi.  It was not too bad walking there, but started getting cold towards the end.  It was really cold 🥶 walking back into the wind 💨 Unfortunately, it looks like half the run will be into the wind 😥 

My Über driver said the run was drawing 35,000 people?!  I’m not sure I believe him, but… if thousands of people can do it… I certainly can.  

I had dinner at a steakhouse as usual.  The food was mediocre.  The French fries 🍟 were terrible.  I ended up ordering a dessert instead to carb load.  The honey lemon cake was quite good 😊… I love honeycomb 🐝  I’m glad I had that instead of the chocolate cake.  

The NCAA tournament 🏀 is playing down the street.  I may go after the race if there is nothing else to do.  

I’ve psyched myself up, and am excited about tomorrow… I can do it!!! 

Post-race

I had trouble sleeping because I was so nervous.  I woke up around 2/3.  I prayed to help me fall back to sleep.  It worked… 😴… and I woke up to my alarm. 

It was as frigid 🥶… if not slightly colder than forecasted.  It was 9°F with wind gusts 🌬️ in the upper 20’s mph.  I had on a long sleeve shirt, zipped up fleece and parka.  The walk to the start line gave me a good idea of the freezer I would be running in.  The plan was to give my parka to my mom when I started, but I could not be parted with it.  I attached my bib to the front of my parka…

I ran into the wind for a good 7 miles each lap out.  It was 2 laps for the full.  After 2 miles… I abandoned my idea of keeping an 8.12 pace.  I just wanted to finish… I thought about quitting, but by mile 5/6, I started warming up.  I could feel my hands and legs/feet again.  By the time I reached the halfway point, I was feeling decent.  The second lap was a different story…  Perhaps 🤔 I was wet with sweat so running 🏃🏻‍♀️ into the wind 💨 quickly chilled me.  About 4/5 miles into the second lap (mile 17/18) my vision felt blurry and I experienced the runner’s high… not sure this is what people describe.  I felt euphoric and thought 💭 this is nuts 🤪  I promised myself to get to 20.  I had thoughts of walking, but talked myself out of it for 2 reasons.  1) I would be miserable in the cold longer  2) I thought I may be the top woman 🏆 and didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity.  I had a slight push as I started running with the wind.  Mind over matter… the last 4 miles were a push.  I think my training helped me mentally.  I was not going to give up even if I jogged the last 2 miles.  As in the Cowtown, my pace actually picked up with that mindset.  I finished a few seconds from my PR time… 3.41.56.  I finished as the second female and 20th overall. There were 109 marathon runners.  I’m proud of myself for persevering.  I am tougher than I think… it’s all in the mind.  

A few funny 😄 things.  There were a total of 470 runners… very far from the 35K my Über driver said there would be 😂  I barely drank water as my water bottle froze from the cold temperature.  I tried to lick the top to melt some ice with my tongue with little success.  I certainly was not prepared for that.  At mile 21ish, I thought I shit 💩 myself.  I thought about that for half a mile.  I felt something warm, and was so cold, that I could not tell what had happened.  I was hoping it would freeze and not run down my leg if I had had an accident.  If I was the first girl, I thought about having my mom give me the extra pants she brought so I wouldn’t be embarrassed 🙈 when the winning pic was taken.  Well… when I finished, almost everyone had abandoned the area.  There was no post race celebration, and more disappointedly, I did not get my promised, infamous shamrock cookie 😭  I did get my medal, and I found some organizers to at least give me the promised beer glass. 

We made the cold trek back to my hotel, and I took the warmest, best shower ever.  And if you were curious… no accidents 🤗

We had lunch at Royal Mile.  So happy with my sandwich 🥪 choice.  The Earl was delicious 😋 I’m glad we got there when we did.  We got a couple of spots at the bar, and they turned multiple people away afterwards.  I don’t know if I was starving or what… but that was the BEST sandwich I’ve had in a while.  The fries 🍟 were again terrible… they really do not know how to fry here.  I ate a few because I was starving and craving carbs/salt.  

We then watched the NCAA tournament 🏀 in a heated tent the city had set up.  It was pretty neat and I enjoyed the fan vibe.  Arkansas upset Kansas… it was exciting watching with people. 

Iowa – ✅  I hope this is the coldest marathon I will have run.